‘This is where the criminal Gadhafi was stopped’

QAMINIS, Libya — Ahmed Mogarby lifted his 4-year-old son Muhammed so that the boy might touch a charred tank cannon and remember the day that Moammar Gadhafi sent tanks to crush his city — but instead were destroyed by foreign air power.

“This is where the criminal Gadhafi was stopped,” Mogarby told the boy, who stared in wonder at his tiny fingertips, left black by the burned metal.

Additional Photos

Libyan boys sitting on the cannon of a destroyed army tank celebrate the freedom of Benghazi on Monday. U.S., British and French warplanes, enforcing a U.N. resolution, bombarded government armored vehicles as they fled the city Sunday. The Associated Press

Related Headlines

Father and son stood in the flat desert south of Benghazi on Monday amid the smoking wreckage of government tanks and armored troop carriers. U.S., French and British forces enforcing a U.N. Security Council resolution bombarded Gadhafi’s armored columns as they fled after assaulting Benghazi, leaving an 80-mile trail of scorched armor.

Even as fighting raged a few dozen miles down the highway, thousands of residents of rebel-controlled eastern Libya drove down the coastal highway to gawk at mangled armor and crushed weapons. It was a festive family occasion.

Fathers brought their sons. Women in head scarves peered from sedans packed with snacks and curious sightseers. Young men posed for photographs, their chests puffed out. People sang songs of defiance and waved the red, black and green rebel flag. Someone joked that kebab and tea concessions would be setting up soon.

Hundreds of cars parked haphazardly on the highway, blocking traffic. Six ambulances and two firetrucks racing south to the front near the crossroads city of Ajdabiya had to slow down to negotiate the gridlock.

“Honestly, in maybe six more hours we would have all been killed and Benghazi would have been destroyed if these warplanes had not arrived,” said Abdel Salim, an electrical engineer who held the hands of his two sons, ages 12 and 7.

“Oh, we love America and France,” Salim said in accented English as onlookers nodded. “The devil Gadhafi is gone from Benghazi, and the entire east is happy. Now we want to finish Gadhafi for good.”

Many gas stations were closed and lines of waiting cars snaked over the highway at stations that had not yet run dry. But still people drove down from the city, blasting the pulsing new rebel anthem, “Free Libya,” from car radios and flashing the “V” for victory sign.

It was a stark contrast to Benghazi itself. Most shops were shuttered and traffic was light. The usual throngs of flag-waving, horn-honking rebel supporters were missing.

South of the city, Musa Farraj, a well-dressed business consultant, stood with his dress shoes covered with sand as he marveled at the debris.

“Hah!” he said, waving a hand at the crumpled tanks, some of them flipped upside down. “These are the gifts Gadhafi brought for Benghazi. Look at them now.”

Here at MaineToday Media we value our readers and are committed to growing our community by encouraging you to add to the discussion.

To ensure conscientious dialogue we have implemented a strict no-bullying policy. To participate, you must follow our Terms of Use. Click here to flag and report a comment that violates our terms of use.